Fear of Flying

As with phobias in general, a fear of flying is generally the results of learning, in its psychological sense. Although flying is one of the safest forms of transport, perhaps the individual has had a bad experience, or has family, friends or relatives who have a fear or flying? They may even have been traumatised by something in the media -in the case of one of my clients, seeing the 9/11 terrorist incident on television.

Fortunately, fear of flying, like most phobias, can be effectively treated. A common psychological approach is a process known as systematic desensitisation. A process whereby the individual is gradually enabled to replace feelings of fear and panic that are associated with flying with the more positive emotions of calmness and relaxation. Other approaches that may be used include various cognitive therapies, which aim to address the irrational cognitions and beliefs associated with the fear of flying. Unfortunately, these cognitive-behavioural therapies, while they can be very effective can also take a very significant number of therapy sessions.

Hypnotherapy approaches build on the insights of psychological research and therapy and, importantly, when combined with NLP can achieve results rapidly. In many cases, a single 90 minute session is all that is required!

Look forward to your next holiday - AND enjoying the flight that will get you there!

Contact Dr Phil Erwin today

In our modern age where international travel is common, so too is the problem of fear of flying. Fear of flying is a complicated phenomenon. While it may sometimes be a phobia in its own right, in many cases it is a combination of other phobias or anxieties (e.g., claustrophobia, fear of crashing, terrorist hijack, loss of control etc). Consequently some psychologists would argue that a fear of flying is a symptom rather than a cause.

Phobias are, by definition, extreme fears, and can be extremely debilitating. In extreme cases, even the mention or anticipation of flying can cause distress and panic attacks. Consequently afflicted individuals may actively avoid flying; if they do fly, they may take refuge in coping / distracting behaviours such as drinking alcohol, praying, or clutching onto some object or person of support and safety.